A Maplewood liquor store worker foiled an armed robbery, fatally shooting one of the two masked suspects, authorities said Tuesday.

The shooting occurred about 6:45 p.m. Monday at Princess Liquors on Stillwater Road near Century Avenue, according to police.

Willie Young-Ferba, 23, who “very recently” moved to Maplewood from Chicago, was identified by police Tuesday as the dead suspect. Young-Ferba’s criminal history in the Chicago area includes a theft offense in 2015.

A second store worker was assaulted before the gunfire erupted, and she was taken to Woodwinds Hospital in Woodbury for treatment of noncritical injuries, said Police Cmdr. Dave Kvam.

Kvam said one of the two suspects had a gun and both had on masks.

Police are still searching for the second suspect, whose identity they have verified, but “his identity is not yet being revealed, in part to allow detectives more time to work with potential witnesses whose statements could be tainted by premature identification.”

It was while the female staffer was being assaulted that the second worker shot and wounded one of the suspects, according to police.

Both men fled the store, and the one who was shot was found nearby. Officers and emergency responders treated the wounded man, who was taken to Regions Hospital. He died there.

The worker who opened fire did have a state-issued permit to carry a firearm, but such licensing is not required when the gun is on the premises for protecting a place of business, Kvam said.

Tim Harlow covers traffic and transportation issues in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, and likes to get out of the office, even during rush hour. Harlow also covers general assignment and breaking news and weather.

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